Pounds of meth seized by Colorado DEA agents

60 pounds of methamphetamine is now off the streets of Colorado thanks to a recent series of drug busts.

The DEA along with law enforcement agencies from across the state have teamed up to combat the ongoing war against drug trafficking.

"The influx of drugs is a constant battle and the agents here in this office are taking the fight to the streets every day," DEA Resident Agent in Charge Matt Barden said. "We are targeting the highest level of drug traffickers that we can target."

"We've seized close to 400 lbs. of meth over the last 3 and half years," Barden said.

The theory is that the drugs are being trafficked from Mexico----likely traveling through Texas and then up I-25 into Colorado. Some of the narcotics are seized through traffic stops. However, the larger busts are part of lengthy undercover stings.

"These cases (investigations) can last for months at a time, sometimes years," Barden explained.

At least half a dozen drug traffickers have been arrested since Oct. 2012. Unfortunately, not everyone ends up getting caught----opening the door for drug users.

"It is a scary drug and a lot of people don't survive their addictions," Dianne Hayhurst-Vigil with Crossroads Turning Points, Inc. said.

Kiyana Geske is one of the lucky survivors. She got hooked at the age of 14. Now 26, she spends her time sharing her dark days with high school teens.

"I stayed up for four days the first time and coming down was so hard," she explained. "I was physically in pain. I was paranoid. I hadn't slept and felt sick to my stomach."

Geske got the wake up call as a result of a tragedy. Her fiance, an addict himself, overdosed on the drug and died at the age of 20.

"He never wanted me to do it," Geske said. "However, being around him, trying to take care of him--- it was the one thing we had that connected us."

"I've had clients who have reported getting addicted the very first time," Hayhurst-Vigil said.

It's horror stories like these that pushes the DEA to intercept as many drug operations as they can.

"We're always out on the streets of southern Colorado targeting our traffickers," Barden said. To learn more about the DEA, visit http://www.justice.gov/dea/index.shtml